NARCONON BLOG

ADDICTION

Is It Even Worth Talking to Teens About Drugs?

Parents face a veritable plethora of challenges and scrutiny when it comes to raising their kids. This scrutiny comes from their kids, from other parents or peers, and from the parents themselves. Sometimes, it can seem like there is no right answer here,...

DRUG REHABILITATION

The Truth About Denial

Many believe that if an addict does not admit to having a problem, he does not know he has a problem. We are taught to see this as a lack of self-awareness on the part of the addict. I can assure you, it is not. It’s simpler than that.

DRUG REHABILITATION

How Do We Get Him to Admit He Needs Help?

When I began working as an interventionist, I found that many families believed they needed to get their addict to admit to needing help before treatment will work. This may sound logical but as an to me it’s always been puzzling.

DRUG INFORMATION

This is Your Brain on Alcohol and It’s Not Pretty

You may remember a drug prevention public service announcement from the 1980s, “This is Your Brain on Drugs.” A new study makes it clear that it’s not just drugs that can have a serious damaging effect on your brain. It’s also alcohol.

DRUG REHABILITATION

What Rehab Success Means

At what point has a drug addict in treatment achieved rehabilitation? How can you gauge real success with treatment? And what, really should be the outcome of any good drug rehab program?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Chris Herren’s Unique Way of Explaining the First Day of Addiction

Former NBA player Chris Herren has developed a unique and convincing way of showing high school students how easy it would be to get started on the road to addiction just like he did.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

New Federal Restrictions for Prescription Painkillers

Until fairly recently, you couldn’t get a prescription for opiate painkillers unless you were on your deathbed or in the midst of cancer treatment.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

America’s Drug Addiction Epidemic and its Effect on Foster Care

Foster children are met with struggles and strife quite unlike anything else, their lives having been smitten with a struggle that none but foster kids have to face.

ADDICTION

Children—the Casualties of Drug Abuse

Cuddling with your children, watching them take their first steps, guiding them through life are the beautiful and cherished responsibilities of a loving parent. Holding a newborn in one’s arms, is a glorious feeling.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Can a Smart Phone App Aid in Addiction Recovery?

One of the newest wrinkles in recovery from addiction is an application called Reset. Anyone can download the app but only a person who’s working with a doctor on addiction recovery can open it and work with it. Does a digital app really have the potential...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

“Getting to Zero Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities” — Realistic or Overly Optimistic?

When people talk about reducing the harm done by alcohol or drugs, there always seems to an assumption that some people are always going to use these substances harmfully. No matter what you do, some people will die in the driver’s seat after leaving...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Are We Doing Enough Yet to Halt the Opioid Overdose Epidemic?

This a vitally important question to ask. Just talk to any parent who has lost a child to an overdose. A recent report from the CDC indicates that as yet, we are seeing more wreckage resulting from drug addiction, not less, meaning we have much more work...

DRUG INFORMATION

Is There Really Such a Thing as a “Gateway Drug”?

Most people have some kind of understanding of the idea of a gateway drugs—drugs that that are likely to lead to the use of more dangerous, deadly and addictive drugs. But some people argue that the gateway concept does not exist. Is this true or is...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Teens’ Secret Use of Alcohol and Prescription Drugs Can Lead to Need for Rehab

Teenagers want their privacy and want to try new, exciting things with their friends. Unfortunately, this can lead to teen prescription drug use or abuse of illicit drugs or alcohol followed by their being trapped in addiction.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Opioid Overdose Antidote Naloxone: Curse or Blessing?

It’s not difficult to pick up on the controversy swirling around the use of the opioid antidote naloxone. Some people see value in saving the lives of those who overdose. Others think that these people who seem to be trying so hard to die should be left...

ADDICTION

What Every Parent REALLY NEEDS to Know to Prevent Overdoses in Teens and Young Adults

While some areas of drug use in the U.S. have decreased considerably amongst young adults, one significant figure that has not decreased is that of teen overdoses.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

7 Reasons We Must Avoid “Tunnel Vision” as We Fight Addiction

As we work to solve America’s problems with drug addiction and overdoses, there’s an intense focus on opioids alone. Letting ourselves develop this kind of tunnel vision could result in our overlooking some truly vital aspects of our nation’s problems...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

The ONE Thing You Need to Know about the Opioid Epidemic

There’s one simple fact that is more important than all others on the subject of our opioid epidemic…

DRUG REHABILITATION

How Does Love Become Enabling?

Ask any expert in addiction recovery if enabling is wrong and they will all tell you the same thing: It’s the worst thing you can do for an addict.

ADDICTION

Would Taxing Opioids Solve Our Overdose Problem?

Everyone wants to combat the epidemic of opioid misuse that killed nearly 64,000 Americans in 2016. Is adding a tax to the price of each pill the right solution?